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CALLAO CAVES- Peņablanca, Cagayan |
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Wednesday, March 27, 2002, Aparri. It has been thirty days since I left Manila for the WWF- Humpback Whale Research Expedition to Babuyan Islands in Cagayan. I woke up at 0700, bathe and went down St. Patrick Hotel's Canteen to eat breakfast. This was the first day of our five day vacation from the Humpback Whale Survey and I still don't have any plans on how I will spend it. My other survey teammates were planning to go to Pagudpod in Ilocos but until the moment I left them in Sta. Ana, they still haven't finalized their plans. My original plan was to accompany our Project Team Leader Jom Acebes to Aparri to buy supplies for the 2nd phase of the survey. But due to funding problems, Dr. Acebes had to go back to Manila to get the money herself. WWF_Hired driver Alex brought us to Victory Liner Tuguegarao where Dr. Acebes will board a bus to Manila. Dr. Acebes suggested Callao Caves in Peņablanca, and she said a former survey volunteer is currently residing there. We bought lunch at Jollibee and ate it at Victory Liner. It was 1300 when Dr. Acebes boarded the bus and Alex left for Aparri. I was left at Tuguegarao with 5 days and no place to go. I went to Brickstone Mall near Victory Liner Bus Station and was very excited to see an Internet Cafe! I went in Albert's Internet Cafe like I was a first timer and was hesitant to ask questions. I checked my e-mail and my website, and as expected, I don't have any mail. I managed to inform everyone that I'll be gone for two months and will not be able to answer my e-mails. While I was checking the guestbook in my website, I noticed the Videoke outside the internet cafe. I paid the cashier and went to the videoke to sing one song. I went down from the 2nd floor and found a watch shop at the first floor. I remembered that I needed to keep track of my time while on vacation, now that I'm alone, I need my own watch. I bought a watch for Php1,500 and I headed for another mall in the city. I rode a tricycle to Citymall and tried to find a barbershop there. The guard said there aren't any, so I went out again. Near the market, I found an ordinary barber shop. To avoid or risk a haircut that I wouldn't like, I asked for a skinhead trim. I went to a beauty shop to buy a shaver and scissors and I asked for directions to the terminal to Peņablanca but the sales ladies doesn't seem to know the place I'm talking about. I asked the tricycle I boarded and he took me to a tricycle terminal where the driver asked me how much I was willing to pay. I asked my driver to take me to a jeepney terminal instead. According to some people I've asked, Peņablanca is an hour away and it would be cheaper to ride a jeepney. The terminal for the jeepney displayed a sign for Callao Caves Resort. Callao Caves was now more popular than the place Peņablanca. I rode on the jeepney's front on the left side of the driver to get a better view of where I was going. The fare was Php14 and we waited for the jeep to get full. The road to Peņablanca was well paved but the drivers have this strange way of driving in the middle of both right and left lanes. Sometimes it tends to be scary, but the people seem to be well acquainted with this kind of driving. We crossed a bridge before we entered the town of Peņablanca and all tourists had to pay Php10 before entering the area. I asked the nearby Sunshine Store where I could get a place to stay for the night, they pointed to the Resort. I climbed the steep pathway to the Callao Caves Resort information center and inquired on room rates. The cheapest room available was a Honeymooner's Cottage for Php400 per night. I was tired and really needed a place to sleep that night, I accepted. I still have extra money from the volunteer's allowance for the 1st phase of the survey, might as well use it. Inside my room, I reviewed the Cagayan Brochure they gave me and I was happy to be there. I went down to Sunshine store to drink coke. They informed that I could rent a kayak for Php100 per hour if I wanted to explore the nearby caves and waterfalls. I asked if there are other tourist whom I can share the cave guiding expenses. They told me that there was a group of five ladies set to San Carlos Cave the following day. The requested the store keepers to inform the ladies when they encounter them again. I went back to my room and rested after that. 1900 I went back to Sunshine store to eat dinner, I ordered Sisig in a can and rice. Then, I went back again at around 2000 to talk with the ladies and we agreed that I will go with them to San Carlos Cave and take part of the guide fee. I went back to my room and prepared my things for tomorrow's cave exploration. Fortunately, I was able to borrow Dr. Jom Acebes' headlamp, since I lost my flashlight in Babuyan Claro. Holy Thursday, 28 March 2002 at around 0700 I went to the Information center and found out that our guide will be late and our trip to San Carlos Cave will be delayed. I went back to my room. I went back and forth several times then I decided that I'll just wait in my room. Finally, I was called and informed that we will push through with a different guide. We, including the five ladies agreed. But, just before we left the resort, our original guide, Joandre Sanchez, arrived. He immediately boarded our vehicle and off we went. We rode a very small 'Calesa' (Horse drawn carriage), it was so small we couldn't imagine how me, the five ladies, three guides and the driver would fit into it, but we did. I took that opportunity to know the ladies I'm sharing this adventure with. I didn't bother to remember their names yet, I'm pretty sure I'll be able by the end of the day. The ride going to San Carlos Cave was hilarious. Our knees were jammed together and everyone was laughing throughout the journey. We arrived at the cave entrance at around 1000 and the guides prepared to go in. Joandre oriented the group and was surprised to know that only few brought flashlights and some are wearing inappropriate clothing. Our guides brought extra flashlights and we pushed through with the plan. As soon as we entered San Carlos, darkness followed. The ground at the entrance was hard then followed by slippery mud. We encountered really muddy terrain. The mud were so thick and deep that at some points I found it hard to pull out my own legs, yes, both legs! We took off our footwear, we had to choose between getting our feet wounded by the sharp rock flooring than to have our footwear buried in deep thick mud. Everyone learned the value of the helmet because everyone bumped their heads at one time or another. Climb, crawl, walk, climb, crawl and walk in deep mud. A true spelunking experience. The great thing about the five ladies I'm with was that they don't complain. Arlene had no flashlight, everyone was wearing sandals, Olive was wearing shorts and almost all had no extra batteries. They told me that they have been to Sagada, but I know that place didn't prepare them for this. We finally arrived at 'John the Baptist', a part of the cave where the opening from one chamber to the other is submerged in water. We had to pass thru this, sort of a Rite-of-passage for tourists like us. Some were apprehensive but everyone managed to conquer their own fears. We came back the same way we went in. Mud, mud, mud. Every inch of our body was covered with mud. We got out at around 1330 and rested at the cave's entrance and replenish our bodies with light food and water. We proceeded to a small irrigation brook to rinse off most of the mud accumulated in our clothes. After lunch at the brook side, we loaded our Calesa and went back to the resort. We dropped by a fish vendor to buy fish for dinner. The five ladies invited me for dinner and I offered to buy coke in return. I drank coke at the store, went back to my room, rinsed my clothes, took a bath, wore fresh clothes and went to the five ladies cottage. During dinner of freshly grilled Bangus, I asked the five ladies to sign my journal. It turned out, they work in the same company but in different branches. Arlene Torres, Janette Yladia, Aurelia Villarojo and Evelyn Ladion are friends and Evelyn's sister Melani came along for the trip. These are the stuff solo adventures are made of. I get to meet new friends in strange places. I went back to my room and prepared for the next day. Good Friday, 29 March 2002, 0630. I woke up and went to Ilocano Cottage where the five BPI Ladies were staying. I arrived just when they were leaving. We went to the store and waited for our ride to Iguig Calvary, our destination for the day. We were presented with a problem, we didn't have a ride. We went back and waited in our respective rooms and we were called as soon as we have an available transportation. We left Callao and we arrived at Iguig at around 1000. We walked and recited the prayers for the 14 stations of the cross. After we finished, we scouted for snacks and a good place for photo shoot. we boarded our van and traveled back to Callao. We passed by Jollibee and found out it was closed. We were surprised to see Chowking open. We agreed to buy food for take-out. We went inside and ordered our food. I was surprised to hear my name from the back of the counter-line. I saw my survey teammates A.G. Saņo, Ali Hamoy, Carl Oliveros and Tanya Conlu. Thay informed me thay they didn't push thru with their Pagudpod trip and they decided to stay in Tuguegarao instead. I introduced them to the five ladies I'm with and I left them at Chowking. At Callao Caves Resort, I left the five ladies and went to my own room to eat my lunch. I spent the rest of the day resting and taking short walks around the river and the resort. Black Saturday 30 March 2002, I went to Callao cave after breakfast, I hired a boat and paid the two way fare of Php10 and instructed the boatman to wait for me. I went inside the cave alone. I explored the different chambers of the cave. It was nice seeing it for the first time, but I found it unspectacular, compared to the un commercialized caves I've been to before. I took a photo and went out the cave to find out that my boat left me. I waited for another boat to ride back across the river. I went back to my room and packed my things. I passed by the Ilocano Cottage and waited for the five ladies. Since we're leaving at the same time, I might as well ride to Tuguegarao with them. I waved goodbye to the five BPI ladies and I went straight to St. Peter's cathedral in Tuguegarao. I took some photos of this Spanish church and then I called Jom Acebes. She informed me that she will not be back until Monday. I went to an automated teller machine to withdraw cash. I found out that I left it at home in Las Piņas. Fortunately, Jom Daclan was staying in Aparri. I boarded a van to Aparri. I knocked on the door of Room 204 of St. Patrick's Hotel in Aparri, Jom Daclan opened the door and I went in to rest my really tired body. I stayed two more nights in Aparri to wait for our Project Team Leader Dr. Jom Acebes. On April 1, 2002, we went back to Sta. Ana for the 2nd phase of the Humpback Whale Survey. |
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